Slat-weaving machine.



PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908. H. W. CARPENTER.

SLAT WBAVINCT MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5,1906.

6 SHEETSSHEET 1. w l

Al/omey- No. 877,904. PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908.

H. W. CARPENTER.

SLAT WEAVING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5. 1906.

e SHEETS-SHEET 2.

[NI/ENTOR linry WOW Janie): w M W flfzomejv P-ATENTED FEB. 4, 1908. H. W. CARPENTER. SLAT WEAVING MACHINE.

ADPLTGATION FILED MAY 5,1906

a SHEETS-SHEET 3.

No. 877,904. PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908. H. w. CARPENTER.

SLAT WEAVING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 5,1906.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

1' NVENTOR Attorney 5 O T 9 E 1 M R 4. 4 H m M M w. m N m F m \i V r A m 6 \w xv i N a T H, 1 40 N u W. 'JI a 9% M 6,. W m e RHJ Hlll E05 H l T A v. m M m TNM P G n W m 1.. WWW BI WW Hum m 1 \whx IFS 5? 40 panying drawings in which:

Simultaneously length at suitable intervals with sheds, and

snares OFFICE.

HENRY W. CARPENTER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN WOVEN LATH COMPANY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

sLAr-wnAv-rNG MACHINE.

no. svzeoa.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1908.

Application filed May 5. I906- Serial No. 315.414.

at Washington, in the District of Columbia,

have invented new and useful Improvements in Slat-Weaving Machines,- of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to a machine for weaving wooden slats to form woven wooden lathing, and the method involved thereby.

The general object of the invention is to provide a machine in the use of which the entire series of warp slats entering into the construction of a section of lathingmay be rovided throughout their the entire series of weft slats maybe simultaneously fed into and through the respective lines ofsheds, or openings, whereby a complete section of lathing may be made in one cycle of operation of the machine.

Detailed objects of theinvention relate to novel mechanism for effectingthe operation of the machine in stages to novel mechanisms for feeding the warp and weft slats to the shed-forming press; to novel mechanisms for effecting the delivery of the com leted lathing sections from the press an to a novel construction of press for forming the sheds in the warp slats and for insuring the unobstructed feed'of the weft slats there through.

In addition to the above-stated general and specific objects of the invention, other and further objects relate to details of construction and to combinations, arrangements and operations of parts, all as hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.-

The invention is illustrated in the accom- Figure 1 is a plan view of a slat weaving machine constructed-in accordance with my invention, a portion of the upper member of the press being broken away to better illustrate the construction; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 Fig.

'3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5 of 1, showing one end-portion of the shed-forming press, with the upper member thereof raised, and the adjacent portion of the feed-table for the warp slats,.said view illustrating one osition of the delivery mechanism and of the feed mechanism; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, the upper member of the shed-forming press being down, and illustrating a different position of the delivery and feed mechanisms to that shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is an enlarged view in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow 7 of Fig. 1, showing one end ortion of the feedtable for the weft slats an the adjacent portion of the shed-forming press, the upper member of the latter being raised, said view illustrating one position of the feed mechan ism for the weft slats and of one of the devices for lifting the completed lathing from the bed of the press; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig.- 7, the up er member of the press being down, and 1 ustrating a different posiof the lifting device to that shown by Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view on an enlarged scale of a ortion of the lowermember, or bed, of the s ed-forming press; Fig'. 10 is a section taken on the line 1l-11 of Fig. 9; and Fig. 11 is a section taken on the line 1212 of Fig. 9, the latter two figures showing the corresponding portions of the u er member of the shed-forming, press, .and. 1g. 10 showing, in section, the relative ositions of the warp slats, and, by dotted ines, of a weft slat, after a weaving operation.

Referring now to these drawings, 12 indicates the lower member, or bed, of the shed-forming press, which is supported on 0 standards 13, and 14"indicates the upper member of said. press.

'T he numerals 15 indicate uprights arranged at the respective corners of the shedforming press, but at a distance therefrom, each of said uprights being grooved on its inner side as indicatedat 16, Fig. 2, to form guides. 17 indicate cross-bars extending between respective pairs of uprights 15 and working at opposite ends in the guide grooves 16 of said uprights, Secured to each of said cross-bars 17, near opposite ends thereof, are castings 18 which are inturn secured to the upright member 1.4 of the shed-forming press at the respective corners thereof. Depending from opposite ends ofeach cross-bar 17 and also slidably engaging-in the grooves 16 are slide-bars 19., each of which has an enlarged bar 21.

. throughout the entire length of the machine In the operation of the machine the upper member 14 of the press must be raised and lowered, and the means for accomplishing 5 mentality of the sets of bevel gears 29, 33, 32 v and :9 reverse the previous direction of the ported in suitable bearings 23 and extending this result will now be described:

22 indicates the main drivu1g-shaft supand beyond opposite ends thereof. 24 indicates a pulley aff xed to one end of said shaft, 5 by means of which it may be driven from a Thus in the revolution of the shaft 22, the

suitable source. of power (not shown). Mounted on the shaft 22, slightly beyond opposite ends of the shed-forming press, are two mutilated gears 25, each of which has gear teeth correspondingly arranged and extending over a quadrant of a circle, 18 indicai ed at 26 in Fig. 3. Mounted in a hearing at the opposite end of a support 27, located adjacent to each of the mutilated gears 25, is a shaft28 on the inner end of which is a bevel gear 29. Mounted in bearings at the upper ends of supports 30 is a shaft 31, having secured at opposite ends bevel gears 3233, respectively. Secured on each of the shafts 28 is also a mutilated gear indicated, respec,

tively, by the numerals 34 and 35, each of said mutilated gears having on diametricgears 3435 isadapted to engage with the ally opposite sides a series of gearte(- .th extending over the quadrant of a circle. One set of the gear-teeth on each of the mutilated corresponding rack-bar 21, and the other set is adapted tobe engaged by the toothed portion 26 of the mutilated gear 25.

It will be und rstood that the mechanism shown in Fig. 3, comprising the mutilated gear 25 with the cooperating mutilated gears and-bevel gears for actuating the two slidebars shown in said figure, are duplicated at the other end of the machine, as indicated by Fig. 2, fonoperating in synchroriisni the I other two slide-bars19 As thus far described, as the shaft 22 rotates in the direction of the arrow, indicated by Fig. 3, the teeth 26 of the mutilated gear 25 will engage the one set of teeth of the mu t'ilated gear 34, thereby causing the other "set to engage with the adjacent rack-bar 2].. As the mutilated gear 34 is revolved the bevel gear 29, which is fastened on its shaft and which meshes-with the bevel gear 32, will cause the shaft 31 to be rotated, and the bevel gear 33 thereof, meshing with the other bevel gear 29, will cause the mutilated gear 35 to be revolved in the direction indicated by the arrow, and one set of its teeth to enthis means the slide-bars 19 will be raised and accordingly raise the upper men1ber 14 of the shed-formmg press. As the mutilated gears 25 continue to revolve, their toothedteeth on the mutilated gears 35, thereby reversing the original direction of the movement of said gears, and through the instrumovementof the mutilated gears 34. In such direction of the movement of these latter gears, their set of teeth first namedwill engage the rack-bars and draw them downward, thereby lowering the upper member 14.

member 14 will first be raised and tlienlowcred and again ra1sed,'and so on as long as the machine is in operation. When the upper member 14 of said shed-forming press is raised, the machine operates to feed the warp-slats inward upon the bed 12, and the mechanism for accomplishing this operation will now be described:

Mounted on supports 36 is a table 37 supported from opposite sides of which, by means of brackets 38, is a rectangular frame 39 which is located directly over the table 37 but is supported by the brackets 38 out of contact with said table, a space 40 between said table and frame being provided which is equivalent in height to the thickness of a warp-slat. Secured in opposite ends of the frame 39 are a series of artitions 41, which are the same height as t. e frame 39, and in common therewith are. supported in a vertical position above the upper surface of the... table, 37, a distance equal to the thickness of a Warp-slat. The. partitions 41 divide/the frame 39 into a series of receptacles 42, fifteen of such receptaclesybeing shown.

- Mounted in bearings 43, carried by brackets 44, secured on the under side of:

the table 37 toward the outer end thereof,

is a shaft 45 on which are mounted two sprocket-Wheels 46. Suitably mounted in bearings at the opposite ends of the table is a shaft 47, on which are mounted two sprocket-wheels 48, which are in line with the sprocket-wheels 46L Mounted on respective sets or sprocket-wheels 46. and 48, are I sprocket chains 49, which work in longitudinal grooves made in the upper surface of the table 37, near opposite sides thereof, as indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 2; and connected to and extending between these sprocket chains at suitable distances apart, are two feed-bars 50-51, which are substantially the thickness of a Warp-slat, and are adapted to work through the s ace 40, above described, in order to sweep t 'e lower slat of each receptacle 42, which will rest upon the table 37, into the shed-forming press by rotating the shaft 45.

In order .to provide for the movement of the sprocket chains 49, I secure on a projecting end of the shaft 45 a s rocket-Wheel 52 over which .passesa sproc et chain 53, which chain also passes over a sprocket- ;5 portion 26 will next engage the other of 1 wheel 54 mounted on the outer end of a erase l shaft 55 suitably supported in bearings on supports 56. On the inner end of the shaft 55 is a bevel gear 57'which is adapted to be engaged by the toothed portion 58' of a mutilated gear 59niounted on the shaft 22., all as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2: The toothed-portion 58 extends over a quadrant of the mutilated gear 59. Thus as the shaft 22 revolves in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 1, the toothedportion 58 of the mutilated gear 59 will in time engage the teeth of the bevel gear 57, thereby rotating the shaft 55 and the sprocket chains 53, which will in turn cause the warp-slat s.

the rotation of .the shaft 45, this movement continuing as long as the teeth 58 engage with the teeth of the gear 57, and ceasing as soon as said teeth pass out of engagement The relative positions of the feed-bars 50-51, when the teeth 58 have passed out of engagement with the bevel gear 57, and the movement of the sprocket'chains 49 ceases, is shown by Fig. 2, from which it will .be seen that the feed-bar 51 has been moved out from under the frame 39 and part of the way around the sprocketwheel 48, While the feed-bar 50 is in a positionto pass under the frame 39, when the,

teeth 58 again engage the teeth of the bevel gear 57. The sprocket chains and feeddoars described will operate to feed the warp-slats into the press almost the entire distance they should go, but it is obvious that said feed-- ibars can not push the slats the entire distance necessary, as to do this the said feedbars would have to engage the end of the shed-forming press, owing to the are described by said feed-bars in passing over the sprocket-wheels 48; and in order to complete the feed of the warp-slats, 1 provide the following mechanism, reference being had more particularly to Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings:

Mounted on the inner end of the frame 39 in opposite sides thereofare two bars 60, in which are supported a rock-shaft 61. Fixedly secured at three or more points to the shaft 61 are arms 62 which sup ort a bar 63; Fixedly secured on one end 0 the shaft 61 and curved inwardly toward the table 37 is a cam finger 64 which is normally pulled inward toward thev table 37 by means ofa coiled sprin 65. As shown by Fig. 1, one end of the feed-bar 50 (and of course the feed-bar 51) projects slightly beyond the side of the table 37, each )rojecting portion being indicated by 66. T his projecting portion 66 of the feed-bars is adapted, in the movement of the sprocket chain 49, to engage thecam finger 64 to rock the shaft 61.

his occurs immediately after the feed-bar has passed out (if contact with the ends of Thus, as indicated in Fig. 5, the feed-bar, say 50, has moved the slats 67.0nto the bed 12 of the press and is 69', said spaces en 6b about to pass out of contact with the ends of said warp-slats to pass around the sprocketwheels 48. In this latter movement the projecting'end 66 will engage the cam finger 64 and move it outward, and in so doing rock the shaft 61, thereby lowering the arms 62, carrying the bar outward or away from the table 37, and bringing the bar 63 into engagement with the inner ends of the Warp-slats 6], and this movement continues, as shown'b'y Fig. 6, until the warp-slats have been pushed entirely onto the bed 12 when the projection 66' will pass out of engagement with the cam finger 64 and the latter will be retured to the normalv position. shown by Fig. 5. The curve,'or cam surface of the finger 64 is such th at the projection 66 of the feed-bar will readily pass over the same without binding butwill operate by the,-engagement therewith, and in describing the arc of a circle necessary in passing around the sprocket-wheels 48, to move said cam finger outward and feed the warp-slats onto the table as described, and then to freely pass off of said cam finger;

The next step in the operation of the machine isto form the sheds in the warp-slats in order to permit the weft slats to be fed between the same for interweaving therewith, and to this end the opposing surfaces of the upper and lower members of the press are provided. with shed-forming members, shown partially in several of the figures, but more clearly illustrated in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. Referring first to the bed 12, the same is coniposed of a number of longitudinal bars 68 l which may be glued or otherwise secured together at their lower portions, but which are separated by a space of about a quarter of an inch at their up er portions as indicated at eing provided by grooving out the contiguous portions of adjacent bars. The upper surface of each bar 68 is provided throughout its length with a series of alternating' curved projections 70 and corresponding depressions 80, the projections and depressions of the series of bars being arranged in staggered relation, as clearly indicated in the figures named. Each of the curved projections 70' is provided with a rectangular, transverse slot 81 which has its outer or front edges beveled or flared to. permit the easy entrance of the weft-slats as indicated at 82. The upper member or leaf 14 of the shed-forming press is composed of a series of bars 83 in the same manner as the bed, and each of these bars is also formed on its outer surface througlout its length with, a series of alternating curved projections 84 and'corresponding depressions 85, and each of the-projections 84 has a transverse rectangular slot 86 having beveled orfiared-open ings 87 in the same manner as described with respect to the slots of the bed. The projest-ions and depressions ofthe bars 83 of the upper member 14 are arranged in staggered relation in the same manner as described and to the like series of projections 84 of the up er member 14 of the press.

t suitable intervals throughout the length of the bed 12, I secure in the spaces 69, pref erably on each side and at each end-of the v slots 81, guide plates 88 which project upward at suitable distance above the curved projections 70, and are for the purpose of guiding the warp-slats 67 as they are fed onto the bed, said slats passing in between the guide plates as clearly illustrated in Fig.

10. vAs the upper member 1 1 descends, the guide plates 88 are received into grooves 89 formed between the bars 83 of said upper member as shown.

With the. two members of the press-constructe'd as described, it will be seen, referring to Fig. 2, that the warp-slats having nately reverse directions throughout their been inserted, when the upper member 14 is lowered, said warp-slats wil be bent in alterlength andwith respect to each other, and

' that the slots 80 and 86 will form continuous.

transverse passages through the press to enable the weft-slats to be inserted between the sheds formed in the warp-slats. The

wheel-106.

mechanism for this purpose will now be described: 90 indicates a table which is located at one side of the shed-forming press at right angles to the table 37, and is provided with a frame 91. and partitions 92 in the same man ner as described with reference to said table 37, said partitions 92 forming a series of re ceptacles 93 for the weft-slats which are piled in said receptacles one on. top of the other, the lowermost slat resting on the upper surfaceof the table 90. 94 indicates the s ace between the bottom of the frame 1. and of the partitions 92 corresponding to the space 40 of thetable 37. On the rear end of the table are mounted brackets 95 providing bearings 96 for a shaft 97, on which shaft are mounted sprocket-wheels 98. At the front end of the table ismounted in a similar manner a shaft 99 on which are n10. .ited two sprocket- Sprocket chains 101 passover .100. On a projecting end of the shaft 97 is mounted a sprocket-wheel 1.02. ldounted in suitable bearings 103 at the opposite end of the shed forming press to that at which the table 37 located is a shaft 104, on which is mounted a gear-wheel 105 and a sprocket- A sprocket chain 107 passes over the sprocket wheels 102 and 106. On the main driving shaft 22 'is mounted a mutilated gear 108, one quadrant of said ear being provided with teeth 109, whlch are adapted in the rotation of said mutilated gear to mesh with the teeth of the ear-wheel 105. By such means and throug the medium of the sprocket chain 107 the shaft 97 is rotated intermittently to impart movement to the sprocket chains 101.- Said sprocket chains run in. grooves in the table 90, as more clearly a pears from Figs. 7 and 8, and are' connecte by feed-slats 110-and 11-1, the purpose of which feed-slatsfis to sweep over the surface of the table 90 and remove the lowermost slat in each receptacle 93, and cause its part insertion into the shedforming press and between the sheds of the warp-slats. For'the reasons previously described With reference to the feed mechanism of the warp-slats, the feed-slats 1-10 do 'not'cause the weft-slats to-be entirely inserted in the press, and this feed iscompleted in the same manner as described with reference to the warp-slats, and as clearlyindicated in Figs. 7 and 8, in which "112mdicates a shaft supported on brackets 113 on the inner side of the frame 91, said shaft having fixed thereon arms 114 carryi ng at theirlower ends a bar 115,"which"is ada ted to engage the ends of the slats to press t em entirely within the. press, as clearly indi cated in Fig.8. 116 indicates the cam finger which is adapted to be engagedby a project ing end 117 of each of said eed-slats, thereby causing the movement of the bar .115

in precisely. the same manner as heretofore described with reference to the mechanism shown in Figs. 5 "and 6.

In the operation of the machine, assuming the upper member of the press to have been lowered, as in Figs. 3 and 4, and the weftslats to have been fed in, the next movement will be 'to raise the upper member 14, and this is done in-the revolution of the main shaft 22 when the gear-teeth 26 of the mutilated gears 25 engage one quadrant of teeth on the mutilated gears 34 (Figs. 2 and 3). The next operation will be the feeding of the warp slats-into the press, which occurs when the teeth of the mutilated gear 59 come.

.into mesh with the beveled gear 57. The

next cycle is to lower the upper member 14, and this is. done by the teeth of the mutilated gears 26 coming. into mesh with one quadrant of teeth on the mutilated gears 35.

The last step in forming the slat is to feed: the weft-slats through the sheds formed in the warp-slats, and this is done by the engagement of the teeth of the mutilated gear 108 with the gear-wheel 105. Thus it will be seen that the nniehi'ne is operated in a continuous manner but in successive stages by single driving-shaft, owing to the relativrv location of the quadrants of gears on the lathing, so far as this application is-comcerned, is the removal of said lathing" from the press, and this I do automatically, .as illustrated more clearly in. Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and. 3.

Pivotally mounted near the four corners ofthe upper member 14 of the press, as indicated at 117, Figs. 7 and 8, are four catchlevers 118 having lower hooked ends 119, which when the catch-levers are in a vertical position project'slightly within the lower edge of said upper member 14. Each. of these catch-levers 118 is provided above its pivot point with a projecting inclined surface 120, affording at its upper end a shoulder 121. Mounted in suitable bearings 122 on the up per side of the upper member 14 is -a rock shaft 123 on which are secured two sets of oppositely directed crank -arms 124, the outer end of each crank-arm being connected by means of a rod 125 to the upper end of a catch-lever '118. Pivotally secured on the shaft 123 is an arm 126 which is adapted, after the upper member 14 has been raised a given distance to engage the under side of a fixed stop 127 secured to and projecting inward over the press from a beam 128 extending between two of the uprights 15 located on the op posite side of the table to that at which the table 90 is located. It is obvious that with the catch-levers 118 in a vertical position and with their hooked ends projecting inward beneath the lower edge, as the upper member 14 of the press was lowered, the lower hooked ends of said catch-lever would engage the edge slats on the bed of the press and disarrange them. In-order to obviate this I mount on the frame 91 in line, respectively, with the two catch-levers 118 on that side of the press arms 129, which are secured to the frame 91 by means of a hinge 130, and so as normally to be held by gravity in a horie zontal position. As the upper member 14 descends, before the hooked ends 119 can come in contact with the slats on the bed the inclined projecting surface 120 at the upper ends of the two catch-levers described will engage the outer ends of the two arms 129 shoulder 121 will pass under said arms and allowthe catch-levers 118 to swing inward.

quadrants of teeth of see Figs. 4- and 5).

tion of the parts is s own by Fig. 2.

This movement is caused by a coiled spring 131, one end of which is secured to the top of the upper member 14 of the press and the other end of which is secured to a crank-arm 132 on the rock-shaft 123, the spring normally holding the said catch -'lever' 118 inward. Thispo'sition of the catch hooks is indicated in Figs. 3 and 8.

As indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8, the sides of the bed 12 are suitably grooved to ermit the entrance of the hooked catchevers 118 beneath the lathing, so that when the upper member, 14 is raised said latliingwill'be lifted by reason of the fact that the hooked ends of the catch-levers 118 will engage under the same near the four corners thereof. As the said upper member 14 rises,

the arms 129 will be lifted bythe shoulders 121, so as to permit the catch-levers to freely pass upward after which the arms will fall by gravity to the position shown in Fig. 7. The next operation is to release the catch-levers '118 from engagement with the lathing, and to deliver the latter from the 'each of which, is a curved arm 136, each of which'curved arms has mounted in bearings 137 at its lower end a sprocket-wheel 138 Supported onthe sprocket-wheels is a sprocket chain 139 which passes to and'over a sprocket-wheel 140, mounted on a shaft- 141 supported in bearings 142 (Fig. 1).

I Secured to a base 142 mountedpn the inner-side'of and extending between two of the u rights 15 are two bars 143 similar to and ying directly opposite the bars 134, and having piyotally secured to their upper ends curve arms 144,

on the lower end .of each of which is mounted a sprocket wheel 145, supported on and passing over which is asprooket chain 146 which 7 passes over a sprocket-wheel 147 on the shaft 141, the two chains 139 and 146' being normally disposed in parallel relation.

Locatedbetween each of the bars 134, 143 and the corresponding curved arm pivoted thereto .is a leaf-spring .148 which. normally tends to press said curved arms inward. Said are held awa from contact with the upper member 14 o the ress bymeans of contact plates 149 secured on the top of the upper member 14 of the ress near the four corners thereof res ective y. This pozis the upper member 14 is raised" the catchlevers 118 'w'illsupport and carry the lathing section upward, and as this. n ward move- -ment continues the'contact p ates 149 will gradually" pass ofi of the curvedsurface of the arms 136 and 144 and allow the spring to press said arms inward; this not occurr ng, however, until the lathing has; been carried above the plane dfthe upper sides of the sprocket chains 139 and 146. When the upper'member 1.4 has reached such an elevated position, the curved arms 136 and 144 will move inward to carry the s rocket chains beneath opposite ends of the athing.

' In the continued upward movement of the upper member 14, the crank-arm 126 .will strike the arm or stop 127 thereby imparting a part rotation to the rock-shaft 123, which through the medium of the crank-arms 124 and rods 125 will draw the upper ends of the catch-levers 11S inward and allow the sec-,' tion of lathing to fall upon the sprocket chains 139 and 146. The shaft 141 is re tated by means of a belt 150 which passes over a pulley 151 on'the main shaft '22 and a pulley 152 on said shaft 141. As the lathing drops, therefore, upon the chains 139 and 146, it will be immediately carried out of the machine and delivered upon a suitable sup port. As the upper member 14 of the press again descends, the contact plates 149 will engage the curved arms 136 and 144 and press them outward, so that the bottom of I slats located at respective ends and sides of.

said bed.

I clann: 1. A machme'for weaving slats oi definite and substantially uniform len th, comprising two members havin comp emental. shedformers provided wit 1 transverse slots, said shed-formers extending in one direction a distance equal to the lengthof the slats to be woven and in the other a distance equal to the width of the woven article, one of said members being bodily movable in right lines toward and from the other.

. 2. A machine for weaving slats of definite and substantially uniform length, comprising two members having complemental shedformers provided with transverse slots, said shed-formers extending in one directlon equal to the length of thinslats to be woven and in the other equal to the width oithe woven article, and means for bodily moving one of said members in right lines toward and from the other.

3. A machine for weaving slats of definite and substantially uniform length con'iprising two members havingparallel series of complemental shed-formersv provided with transverse slots,'.said shed-formers extending in one direction a distance equal to the length of the slats to be woven and in the other a distance equal to the width of the woven ar 4 ticle, and means for simultaneously movin all of the shed-formers of one member tower and from the shed-formers of the other memher.

'4. A machine for weaving slats of definite and substantially uniform length comprising a lower stationary, and an upper movable member having parallel series of complemental shed-formers provided with 'transverse slots, said shed-formers extending in one direction a distance equal to the length of the slats to be woven, and in the other a distance equal to the width of the woven article, and means for bodily moving said uptending in one direction a distance equal to the length of the slats to be woven and in the other a distance equal to the width'of the woven article, and means for bodily moving one of said members toward and from the other.

6. A machine for weaving slats of definite and substantially uniform length comprising. a lower stationary, and an upper movable member having stationary colnplemental shed-formers, said shed-formers extending in one direction a distance equal to the length of the slats to be. woven, and in the other a distance equal to the width of the woven article, and means for moving one of-said members toward and from the other.

7. A machine for weaving slats of definite and substantially uniform length' comprising two members each of which is provided with a series of parallel bars equal in length to the 7 length of the warp-slats which are designed to rest thereon, said bars being arranged in apposition and having their opposingfaces provided with alternating curved recesses and projections running longitudinally of the. bars, said n'ojections having transverse slots and each projection of one bar lying directly opposite a depression of the op osing bar, and means for moving all oithe ars of one member simultaneously toward and from th bars of the other member.

8. A machine for weaving slats of definite and substantially uniform length comprising two members havin complemcntal shedl'ormers provided wit 1 transverse slots, .said shed-formers extending in one direction a ilistanee equal to the length of the slats to be woven and in the other a distance equal to.

'the width of the woven article, one of said members being movable toward an d from the other, means for simultaneously feeding a se-- nes of warp-slats onto the stationary memher and means for simultaneously feedingaai-v series of weft-slats into the sheds formed y the interaction of said shed formers.

9. A machine for weaving slats of definite and substantially uniform length comprising a stationary and a movable member having complemental shed-formers provided with transverse slots, said shed-formers extending in one direction a distance equal to the length of the slats to be woven and in the other a distance equal to the width of the woven article, means for simultaneously feeding aseries of warp-slats onto one of said members, means for moving one of said members toward and from the other, and means for simultaneously feeding a series of weft-slats into the sheds formed by the interaction ofsaid shedformers.

10. In a slat-weaving machine in combination with a lower stationary, and an upper movable member having complemental shedformin projections provided with transverse s ots, means carried by said movable member for lifting the woven lathing, means for automatically releasing said lathing, and movable means for automatically delivering the same-from between said members.

1 1. In a slat-weaving machine in combination with a lower stationary and upper mov able member having complemental shedformin projections provided with transverse s ots, pivoted catch-levers carried by said upper member and adapted to raise the lathing with said upper member, means for automatically effectingthe disengagement of said catch-levers with said lathing, and traveling carriers adapted to receive said lathing when thus disengaged and to convey the same from between said members.

12. In a slat-weaving machine in combination with a lower stationary and upper movable member having com lemental shedforming projections provi ed with trans verse slots, means carried by said upper member for elevating the lathing therewith, s ring pressed arms sup orting sprocket c ains at opposite ends 0 said members, means for rotating said sprocket 'chains, means carried by said upper member and slidablyengaging said arms and adapted thereby to normally hold said sprocket.

chains free of the u per member, whereby when the upper mem er is elevated said arms will spring inward and carry said chainsibe v -'neath the opposite ends of lathing, and means for automatically effectin the release of said lathing to permit it to fa 1 upon said chainsand be delivered ou't of the machine.

13. In a slat-weaving machine in combination with a lower stationary and upper mov able member having com lemental shed'' -formin projections provi verse slbts, a series of spring-controlled levers pivotally mounted on said upper member and having lowerhooked ends adapted nored with transinward, means for automatically efi'ecting the disengagementv of said catch-levers with the lathing when said upper member has been raised a given distance, and a carrier for receivingthe lathing thus released.

141 in a slat-weaving machine in combination with a lower stationary and upper movable member having com lemental shedforming projections vprovide with transverse slots, a series of catch-levers pivotally mounted on opposite sides of said upper member and having lower hooked ends adapted to engage beneath the lathing formed between said members and to raise the same with said upper member, a spring-controlled rockshaft mounted on'said upper member, a series'of crank-arms-thereon, rods connecting said crank-arms with said catch-levers, a stop mounted above said upper member, a crankarm mounted-on said rock-shaft and adapted to engage said stop whereby to rotate the rock-shaft and automatically release the ena eme'nt of said catch levers with the at liing, and a carrier for receiving the lathing thus disengaged.

15. In a slat-weaving machine in combina: tion with a lower stationary and upper movable member having complem'ental shedforming projections provided with transverse slots, means carried by said upper member for-raising the lathing formed between said members therewith, means for releasing said lathing when said u" per member has reached apredetermined e evation, traveling carriers mounted on opposite sides of said 1 members, and means operating automatically to move said carriers beneath op osite edges of said upper member when the atter is raised and to move them from beneath the same when said upper member is lowered.

16. In a slat-weaving machine, incombination with a shed-formin press a plurality of means for simultaneous feeding a series of warp-slats and a series oi weft-slats into said ressfeach of said means comprising a table avingna series of open receptacles mounted over t e table with their bottoms located a distance less than the combined Width of two slats above the table, a; pair of sprocket chains arranged to travel flush with the upper surface of said table, a bar'connectin said s'prolret chains and adapted to trave over saidtable in thespace provided between the uppersurface thereof and the bottoms of said receptacles, and means for rotating said sprocket chains.

17. In a slat-weaving machine, in combisimultaneously feedinga series of slats thereto comprising a su port adapted to have a series of piles of s ats mounted:- thereon, a air ,of parallel sprocket chains, and means for rotating the same, and a feed-bar con necting said sprocket chains and adapted to sweep over the surface of said support in the movement of said chains, whereby to en age the lowermost slat of'each pile and feed t em forward into the press.

18. In a slat-weaving machine in combina tion with a shed-forming press, means for simultaneously feeding a series of slats artwayinto said press, comprising a. air 0 parallel sprocket chains and means f dr rotating the sync, and a barconnecting said sprocket ehain's,"'and means for completing the feed. of said slats comprising a movable slat-engaging device mounted ad acent'to said-press, and means adapted to be engaged by said bar for actuating said slat-engaging device.

19. In a slat-weaving machine, in ,co mbi I nation with a shedeforfning press,'means for simultaneously feeding a series of slats part- 7 Way into said press comprising two parallel sprocket chains, means for rotating the same,

and abar connecting said chains, means for completing the feedof said slats com a rock-shaft mounted adjacent to sai press and carrying a slat-engaging device, and a spring-controlled cam finger mounted on said rock-shaft andv adapted to be engaged by said bar. 1 1

rising 20. In a-machine for weaving slats of definite and substantially uniform length, in

combinationwith a holder for warp slats, a-

shed-forming ress having an upper movable member, mec

anism for automatically and simultaneously feeding successive series of nite and substantially uniform for automatically feeding successive series mec anismfor lowering said upper member,

'- a holder for Weft slats, mechanism for automatically and simultaneously feeding a series. of weft slats from said holder to said press, mechanism for raisin said upper memer, and means for actuating said mechanism.

in stages and in the order named.

2'1. In amachine for weaving slats of definite and substantially uniform length, in combination with a'holder for warp slats, a shed-forming press having an upper movable member, mechanism for automatically and simultaneously feedin successive series of slats from said %1older to said press, mec anism for lowering said upper member,

a holder for weft slats, mechanism for au-,

tomatically and simultaneously feeding a series of weft slats from'said holder to said press, mechanism for raising said upper memer, a continuously rotating shaft, and means carried thereby for actuating said mechanism in stages and in the order named.

- 22. In a machine for weaving slats ofdefiength, means of war -slats thereto, means for simultaneously .ormingsheds in all the slats of each series throughout their length, and means for automatical y feeding successive series of weft-slats through the sheds formed in the res ective series of Warp-slats.

v h testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

' HENRY w. CARPENTER.

. Witnesses:

BRUCE SrELLIOTT, W. E. ROBINSON. 

